Companies are increasingly realizing the value of sustainable packaging in the fight against plastic pollution. They are not just lowering their environmental impact, but also responding to rising consumer demand for eco-friendly products. Sustainable packaging is emerging as an important component of corporate responsibility and the worldwide fight against plastic pollution. How are businesses approaching this?
Companies that move to recyclable plastics choose plastics that are easily recycled, such as PET, reducing the demand for new plastic manufacture. Coca-Cola is one of the companies that has adopted the usage of recyclable plastic in its products.
Many businesses are switching to paper-based packaging materials, which are biodegradable and easy to recycle. Local stores such as Naivas and Quickmatt use paper packaging that is easily recycled. Naivas has even gone so far as to provide clients with wooden utensils when they buy food.
To combat the plastic menace, some companies use packaging materials that can be composted at home or in industrial composting facilities, ensuring they decompose naturally. Shopping bags or even wrapping made of paper are increasingly being used by many companies, so if homes have recycling methods, they can dispose of the package safely.
Reducing the amount of packaging used by designing products that require less material without compromising on protection and quality has enabled companies combat plastic pollution. Implementing designs that use less material or incorporate reusable components to minimize waste has an added advantage of having a sustainable business.
Companies especially food businesses like cafe shops are offering products in refillable containers to encourage customers to reuse packaging. Coffee mugs or lunch boxes are being manufactured to be reused more than once, this encourages lessening plastic pollution.
Returnable packaging creates a system where customers can return packaging for cleaning and reuse, such as with glass bottles or metal containers and even shopping bags. The supermarket chain Carrefour has a policy where you can return your used old shopping bag and the company will replace it with a new one for free.
Read also: How governments can advance plastic pollution cleanup through innovative solutions and initiatives
In the market, one can find products like tissue paper that have been recycled from consumer waste, reducing the demand for virgin materials. The products are usually of high quality and fit for human consumption.
One way that organizations or individuals can combat plastic pollution is by partnering with environmental groups to develop and promote sustainable packaging solutions. Running campaigns to educate consumers on the benefits of sustainable packaging and proper recycling practices is another way to ensure that the plastic pollution menace is dealt with.
Providing clear instructions on how to recycle or dispose of packaging materials so that they are successfully managed at the end of their life cycle is a wonderfully effective strategy to ensure that plastic pollution is no longer an environmental problem. The Nairobi County administration has begun distributing bins with clear labels indicating the type of rubbish to be placed in each container. This allows plastics to be separated from other rubbish, resulting in more effective trash management.
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